


Senses Overridden

by HeartsFate



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship, Caregiver Claire, Gen, Hurt Peter Parker, Hurt/Comfort, Peter Needs a Hug, Post-Spider-Man: Far From Home, Worried May Parker (Spider-Man)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 14:08:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29610585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeartsFate/pseuds/HeartsFate
Summary: He thought everyone was out to get him. He may have been wrong.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Claire Temple
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7
Collections: Chocolate Box - Round 6





	Senses Overridden

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DefinitelyNotScott](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DefinitelyNotScott/gifts).



> A late Chocolate treat that I simply adored writing and do hope you enjoy.

The fight against Electro took a far heavier toll than Peter cared to admit. His body felt worn and beaten as he sluggishly dragged himself through the dark streets of Hell’s Kitchen. Not the most ideal part of Manhattan to be stranded but he’d run out of his web shooters a long time ago.

Man, Aunt May was going to kill him. 

But he could do this. It wasn’t the first time he had to make his way home with his tail between his legs like some sort of wounded animal. It seemed to be commonplace lately, now that all of New York knew who he was. 

He could definitely make it...just after a little break. 

Peter reached out to balance himself. Getting himself stabilized for all of a moment before his legs gave out. The concrete bit into his skin through the suit as he slid to the ground, loudly taking a metal trash can down with him. One too many shocks from Electro had made his skin sensitive. He still didn’t know how he managed to overload the shock resistance. 

As he lied there with his cheek pressed against the asphalt to catch his breath, Peter tried to take count of his injuries. A sprained wrist. Some scratches and cuts scattered all over his body. There was definitely some bruising and possibly some broken ribs. His head hurt and prayed it wasn’t a concussion. 

He was starting to feel like that silly cartoon meme with the dog at a table and surrounded by fire. 

This is fine. 

“Hey!” a feminine voice yelled from the mouth of the alley, “hey, can you hear me? Are you okay?” 

He tried to move and turn toward the voice but his body refused. God was he tired and sore. 

“I can call you an ambulance if you’re hurt,” she said, sounding closer than she had just a moment ago. 

“No…” he choked out, “no ambulances please. I’m fine.”

“Clearly you aren’t if you’re hugging the asphalt,” she snarked. 

He would have laughed if he had the proper energy. 

“Puta de madre,” she cursed under her breath.

Peter felt her presence overhead. Glad for the face coverage his mask provided, even if one lens had popped out. He couldn’t help but flinch away when she reached out to touch him. 

“Hey,” her voice softened, “it’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.” 

She sounded truthful enough and his senses weren’t going off. He sighed, though that didn’t mean much these days. 

The woman continued, “I’m a nurse. Let me help you.”

“Okay,” he mumbled, going along as she slowly helped him to his feet, “but I’m an Avenger. If you hurt me, they will avenge me!”

She laughed as she swung his arm around her neck. It was a nice laugh and he joined in only to end up with aching sides and a coughing fit.

“Alright, big boy. I got it,” she slowly eased them forward, “now take it easy. One step at a time. If you need to stop to catch your breath let me know. You’re lucky I live in this building.”

They continued on, Peter focusing on trying to stay awake enough to get to her apartment. 

“I don’t know how you guys keep finding me,” she muttered under her breath. 

It was a curious thing to say and he wanted to ask about it, but held back his tongue. There were more important things he needed to focus on. Like making it up the stairs with as little hindrance as possible.

* * *

Peter woke with a groan. His body felt as if it were on fire, every inch of him in pain. As he lied still and tried to get his bearings, he took in his surroundings. He was definitely not in his apartment, the decor a bit darker than the lighter tones Aunt May likes. The couch he was occupying wasn’t the old and comfortable he was used to. This one was definitely old but much firmer and uncomfortable. 

Whose apartment was this? He tried to remember but his time just seemed to be a huge blur. 

Peter huffed in frustration, reaching up to scratch the side of his itchy nose. 

Skin. That was skin. 

Where was his mask? 

Peter jolted up, ignoring the pain as he tried to find his mask. He patted himself down, touching the soft cotton of a shirt. His chest tightened as his breaths began to come out far too harshly. 

Where was he? Where was his suit? 

This felt strange. He couldn’t breathe. 

A panic attack. He was having a panic attack. God, he hasn’t had one of those in forever. 

“Good, you’re awake,” That wasn’t Aunt May. In fact he barely recognized the voice at all and it only made his worries grow. 

“Come on, kiddo, I need you to take these pain killers. You’ll thank me later.” 

He stared wide-eyed as a beautiful dark skinned woman loomed over him. Her smile was warm and welcoming for all of a moment. She gave him a glance over before it wilted into something more worrisome? Sinister? No. Not sinister. His spider-senses weren’t going off. She looked worried and rushed over to him, a small plate with some medicine tablets set down on the table. 

“Hey, easy there big boy. I’m not going to hurt you.” Her voice was softer now and soothing. Before he could try to form any sort of reply she took his hands and looked into his eyes. 

“I need you to breathe with me okay? Feel my lead.”

Her breaths were deep and slow, but he tried. He kept eye contact as he mimicked her. 

In. Out. Slowly. In. Out. Slowly. 

“There we go,” that warm smile returned to her lips, “feeling better kid?”

He nodded, offering her a small smile in return. 

“Good! Let me get you some water.”

She patted the back of his hand before getting to her feet and going to the little kitchen behind them. His eyes never left her. 

Where was he? Had she kidnapped him?

“Nope,” she laughed softly, “I brought you up to my apartment. Thankfully, you waited until we got to the door before passing out on me. Don’t you remember?”

He hadn’t realized he’d said that aloud, but her soft reply certainly helped to ease some of his worries. 

“The kind voice from last night.”

She laughed again. “Sure, we can go with that. I’m Claire.”

Claire sat back down beside him, holding out a cold glass of water. 

He thanked her and took a grateful sip, the cool water giving him almost an instant sense of relief. 

“Um, do you know where my suit is?”

Claire pointed to the opposite corner where his Spider-suit hung, mask and all. 

“Why are you helping me?”

Something flashed over Claire’s face. Concern? Worry? Hurt? He couldn’t tell anymore.

Her brow rose just before she turned away from him, “should I have just left you in the alley?”

“No, no,” he tried to recover, “I didn’t mean to offend you. I’m just...confused.” Peter sighed, frowning down at his lap. “Nobody wants to help me nowadays. They either want to capture me, turn me in for the reward Jameson has out for me or kill me.”

Her sad, worried gaze returned to him. “Is that what last night was about?”

He nodded, “Electro. He got smart. He must have figured out a way to override my shock resistance. Normally he’s not an issue, but he was definitely out to kill me last night.” 

“Sounds rough, kid.”

There was a hint of teasing in her tone as though she was trying to make him laugh. It worked. 

“I’m Peter Parker,” he finally offered, comfortable enough to give his name. She smiled, pleased. “I thought everyone knew who I was at this point.”

“I did,” Claire shrugged, falling back against the couch, “but it’d be rude to address you by name without you offering it. You had to be ready. I wouldn’t have blamed you if you didn’t want to give it to me.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Claire nodded towards the forgotten pills. “Now about those pain meds?”

“Oh, I don’t need them. I just need a little more rest, then I should be good.”

“So not only do you have some spider powers but you have super-healing? Not bad, kid. I’m off today so you’re welcome to rest up for as long as you want.” 

Silence fell between them as Peter finished up the last of his water. It was nice. Claire’s intentions were pure. She wasn’t trying to turn him in for some outrageous reward money and she wasn’t trying to kill him. 

He liked her. 

“Do you need to call anyone? Let them know you’re okay?” 

Peter shot up to his feet. 

“Aunt May!”

Claire laughed at his outburst and Peter sank back down on the couch, staring up helplessly at the ceiling. 

“She’s going to kill me. Say Claire, you didn’t happen to find a backpack in the alley last night did you?” 

“This one?” 

She tossed the old greying bag at his chest, catching it with ease. His eyes lit up. 

“You are a lifesaver! My cellphone’s in here.”

“Figured. I’ll leave you to your call. I’ll be in my bedroom. If you decide to leave or stay, just let me know okay.”

He watched as she disappeared into the other room, door closing behind her. With a smile he took out his phone, grimacing at the twenty missed calls. Most from Aunt May. The rest from Ned and MJ. He’ll call them all.

But first, Aunt May. 

“Peter Benjamin Parker! Where the hell are you?”

Peter flinched, rubbing the back of his head as he tried to calm his aunt's worries. They spoke for twenty minutes, Peter telling her about the events from the previous night and his morning.

“Are you sure you can trust her? Your Peter-tingle isn’t going off?” Aunt May asked, he could just imagine her coiling the cord of the phone around her fingers if they had a landline. 

His attention fell back to the closed door, separating him and the woman who helped him. “It’s my spidey-sense Aunt May and yeah,I’m sure I can trust her. I think I would have been collared and caged by now if she meant me harm.”

A sigh of relief escaped her, “as long as you’re sure. When will you be back?”

“Later. I’ll come back to the hotel later. I want to rest up a bit more in case of any extra trouble.” 

“Alright, take care. Offer this Claire my thanks for helping you. I love you.”

“I love you too, Aunt May. I’ll see you soon, I promise.”

Peter released his own sigh of relief. Aunt May was doing fine and he eased some of her worries. He felt bad for the stress he placed upon her but she thankfully, continued to be his biggest support. With a less heavy heart, Peter walked to the closed bedroom door and gently knocked. 

Claire greeted him with a smile, which he nervously returned. 

“My aunt says thank you for taking care of me. And if it’s alright with you, I’d like to take you up on that offer to rest up here.”

She reached out and ruffled his hair, a familiar action that Aunt May was known to do. “Any time Peter. I wouldn’t be much of a nurse if I kicked out a patient still needing some time to recover.” 

Claire moved past him, “breakfast?” She didn’t wait for an answer before she’d returned to the kitchen, Peter following behind eagerly. 

He hoped this meeting wouldn’t be their last and hopefully the next one would be under better circumstances.


End file.
